Know When It’s Time to Quit Your Job

Quitting a job can have negative consequences on both your career and your bank account. But staying in a bad situation can be worse. Here are three tips for deciding if it’s time to go:

Assess your dissatisfaction. Start by figuring out whether you lack excitement about the bigger picture or the day-to-day activities. You may be able to change the latter but it’s hard to do anything about the former.

Look at other options. Don’t leave on an emotional whim. Even if you’re unhappy, take time to see what else is out there. Compared to realistic alternatives, maybe your situation isn’t so bad.

Test your assumptions. Run a few experiments to assess whether your perception is reality. For example, put your hat in the ring the next time your boss has a high-profile piece of work to be done. If you’re overlooked, he might not appreciate your skills and it may be time to move on.